81 xs 850 sh yamaha triple

took out the plugs of this bike and plug #2 came out real hard .got it out and the threads are stripped ,in the head . man really can use some help to fix this dying to ride this bike.

Hi Pete

That’s a bummer! Fairly common problem on old bikes. Especially ones that have had the same plugs in the head for a couple dozen years. A little oxidation builds up then as you remove the plug, the threads tear themselves.

To fix it you’ll only need a couple things. You’ll need a metric tap that matches the thread pattern. Carefully run the tap through the hole to clean and recut the threads as best as you can. Use some grease to prevent metal shavings from falling into the cylinder (or remove the head). Then go down to NAPA or a similar shop and get a helicoil insert for the hole. Once installed you should be back in business and ready to ride.

If the hole is really massacred you may need a machine shop to repair it. But in most cases the above will work just fine.

hey evan your a great guy fast response to my question and thanks bro glad I found your site . always nice to have a site to go to where a bro cares enough to help a bro out thanks again bro PETE

No prob pete – happy to help.

Just take care to make sure the tap is going in nice and straight. Be gentle, take your time, and get your bike back on the road.

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Evan Fell

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I have owned nearly every make and model of vintage Japanese motorcycle as well Europeans and more modern bikes. I do everything from simple fixes to full restorations. I also travel by motorcycle and race off-road. This is a blog about my bikes.

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